**Palak Paneer: A Nutritious and Flavorful Indian Dish**
Palak paneer, a classic North Indian dish, is a delightful combination of fresh spinach, soft paneer cheese, and a medley of aromatic spices. This vegetarian dish, often served with naan or rice, offers a burst of flavors and textures in every bite. Its vibrant green color comes from the use of fresh spinach, while the paneer cheese adds a creamy and slightly tangy flavor. The dish is delicately spiced with cumin, coriander, and garam masala, creating a harmonious blend of warmth and depth. Palak paneer is not only delicious but also packed with nutrients, making it a wholesome and satisfying meal.
This recipe provides step-by-step instructions for making palak paneer at home. It begins with the preparation of the spinach, which involves washing, blanching, and pureeing. The recipe then guides you through the process of making the paneer cheese from scratch, ensuring freshness and authenticity. It also includes variations for those who prefer to use store-bought paneer. The detailed instructions cover the cooking of the spinach puree with spices, followed by the addition of the paneer cubes. Tips for adjusting the consistency and flavor of the dish are also provided.
In addition to the classic palak paneer recipe, this article offers two exciting variations:
1. **Palak Paneer Rolls:** These spring rolls feature a flavorful filling made with palak paneer, wrapped in crispy pastry sheets. They are perfect as appetizers or snacks and can be enjoyed with various dipping sauces.
2. **Palak Paneer Paratha:** This variation combines the goodness of palak paneer with the flaky layers of paratha bread. The parathas are stuffed with a generous amount of palak paneer filling and then cooked on a griddle until golden brown. They are best served hot with yogurt or pickle.
These variations add versatility to the classic palak paneer dish, making it suitable for different occasions and preferences. Whether you are a vegetarian seeking a protein-packed meal or simply a lover of Indian cuisine, this recipe article has something for everyone. So, gather your ingredients and embark on a culinary journey to create this delicious and nutritious dish in your own kitchen.
PALAK PANEER RECIPE
Palak Paneer that is delicious, smooth and creamy. This easy palak paneer recipe is made with fresh spinach leaves, paneer, onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. This is one of the most popular North Indian dish.
Provided by Dassana Amit
Categories Main Course
Time 40m
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Rinse the palak or spinach leaves very well in running water. Tender stem are fine. If the stems are stringy, then discard the stems.
- Boil 3 cups water in a pan or microwave or electric heater. Add ¼ teaspoon salt to the hot water and stir. When the water comes to a rolling boil, switch off the flame. Add the spinach leaves in the hot water. Let the palak leaves sit in the water for about 1 minute.
- After 1 minute, using a pasta tong, take the leaves.
- Immediately add the palak or spinach leaves in a pan or bowl containing ice cold water. This method helps in preserving the green color of the spinach. Just add 8 to 10 ice cubes to 3 cups water to get cold water. Allow the spinach leaves to be in the cold water for a minute.
- Then drain the ice cold water. Add the spinach in a blender or grinder jar with chopped ginger, garlic and green chilies.
- Make a smooth palak puree. No need to add water while making the puree. Keep the spinach puree aside.
- Heat oil or ghee or butter in a pan or kadai. If using butter, melt it a low flame making sure that the butter does not brown.
- Add the cumin and let them splutter.
- Then add the tej patta or Indian bay leaf.
- Add the finely chopped onions. Saute till the onions become golden.
- Then add the finely chopped garlic. Saute till the raw aroma of garlic goes away. No need to brown the garlic.
- Add the chopped tomatoes. Stir and saute the tomatoes till they soften.
- Once the tomatoes are softened and you see fat releasing from the sides of the mixture. Then add the turmeric powder, red chili powder and asafoetida/hing.
- Mix very well.
- Then add the palak puree and mix well.
- Add about ½ cup water or as required. Mix again.
- Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes or more till the palak or spinach is cooked. Season with salt. The gravy or sauce will also thicken by now.
- Stir and add garam masala powder.
- Stir again and then add the paneer (Indian cottage cheese) cubes.
- Mix very well and switch off the heat. Be quick as we don't want heat the paneer for more 30 seconds to 1 minute. Overcooking paneer will make them chewy and dense.
- Lastly, add 2 tablespoons of low-fat cream. If using heavy whipping cream, then add 1 tablespoon of it. Stir gently again so that the cream gets incorporated in the gravy uniformly.
- Pour the palak paneer in serving bowls. While serving you can top it with some butter or cream.
- You can also drizzle a few drops of lime or lemon juice on top along with ginger julienne on the palak paneer.
- Stir and serve palak paneer hot with some roti. It also goes very well with Indian breads like tandoori roti, phulka, paratha or naan.
- Being a versatile dish, it also accompanies rice dishes from the indian cuisine like cumin rice, vegetable pulao, ghee rice, saffron rice and even a simple steamed rice very well.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 265 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 10 g, Fat 23 g, SaturatedFat 10 g, Cholesterol 43 mg, Sodium 419 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 2 g, UnsaturatedFat 8 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PALAK PANEER - INDIAN SPINACH CURRY WITH HOMEMADE FRESH CHEESE
Recipe video above. A dish this iconic demands to be made properly - from scratch, with lots of fresh spinach and homemade paneer (Indian fresh cheese!) This is a magnificent vegetarian curry, packed with an extraordinary amount of nutrition and goodness!
Provided by Nagi
Number Of Ingredients 17
Steps:
- Saute onion & spices: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes until onion is softened but not golden.
- Add garlic and ginger, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the tomato and chilli, cook for 3 minutes on a medium heat.
- Add spinach: Add about 1/3 of the spinach - or as much as you can handle in the pot (!) - and stir until wilted. Then add more spinach along with the water, cook again until wilted. Repeat until all the spinach is wilted.
- Cook 10 minutes: Cook, stirring every now and then, for 10 minutes still on a medium heat.
- Cream & lemon: Add the cream and lemon juice. Cook, stirring gently, for 3 minutes.
- Puree half spinach: Remove half the spinach into a tall container and blend it to a puree using a stick blender. Pour pureed spinach back into the pot, and stir to combine.
- Add Pan Fried Paneer: Gently stir in golden pan-fried paneer (see below). Stir gently to mix through.
- Serve over basmati rice with fluffy, chewy homemade naan on the side!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 510 kcal, Carbohydrate 27 g, Protein 16 g, Fat 39 g, SaturatedFat 24 g, TransFat 1 g, Cholesterol 127 mg, Sodium 647 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 20 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PALAK PANEER RECIPE | SPINACH PANEER
Palak paneer recipe - Indian cottage cheese simmered in onion tomato spinach gravy. This palak paneer is one of the best you can make at home. Tastes simply delicious, creamy and easy to make. Serve with roti, basmati rice or naan.
Provided by Swasthi
Categories Side
Time 45m
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Pluck only the young & tender spinach leaves and discard the stems as they may leave a bitter taste. If using baby spinach you can use the stems as well.
- Add them to a large pot of water. Rinse them well few times & drain to a colander.
- Allow the water to drain completely otherwise it will let out lot of moisture while cooking.
- Heat half tablespoon oil in a pan. Saute green chilies, cashews and spinach for 3 to 4 mins until the leaves wilt off thoroughly & raw smell of spinach has gone away. [OR another option is to blanch the palak in 4 cups of hot water with ¼ tsp salt for 2 mins. Then immerse in ice cold water. Drain completely.]
- Cool this completely. Blend this along with ¼ cup water to a smooth puree. The puree should be smooth and thick. You may add 1 to 2 tbsps more water to help in blending.
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and half tablespoon oil to the same pan, Once they melt, add cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves & cumin seeds.
- When the spices begin to sizzle, add onions and fry till they turn transparent to golden.
- Next saute ginger garlic paste for 1 to 2 minutes or until you begin to smell it nice.
- Then add tomatoes with salt. Saute until they break down and turn mushy.
- Add garam masala & saute until the masala smells good. This may take 2 mins. (for a smoother curry refer notes)
- Pour ¾ cup water and cook covered until onions are completely soft. There should be some water left in the pan. (for consistency check video)
- Lower the flame, add kasuri methi and pureed spinach. Mix well and cook until it begins to bubble for about 2 to 3 mins. If the curry is too thick you may add a few tbsps of hot water.
- Avoid overcooking. Add paneer & mix well. Turn off and remove to a serving bowl. Optionally garnish with cream.
- Serve palak paneer with naan, roti or Jeera rice.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 350 kcal, Carbohydrate 13 g, Protein 10 g, Fat 30 g, SaturatedFat 12 g, Cholesterol 54 mg, Sodium 739 mg, Fiber 4 g, Sugar 4 g, ServingSize 1 serving
PALAK PANEER
This spinach dish is popular throughout the world but originated in the Punjabi region of northern India. Making paneer from scratch is key-it's much easier than you would think. And using fresh spinach is essential for flavor and to achieve that emerald green color.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 2h35m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Make paneer: Line a colander with a triple-layer of dampened cheesecloth, leaving a 2- to 3-inch overhang. Place the colander in the sink. Heat the milk in a large non-reactive saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently to make sure the milk doesn't scorch on the bottom, until the milk comes to a simmer. Turn off the heat and gently stir in 3 tablespoons lemon juice. The milk should start separating into solid curds and a yellowish watery whey. If it doesn't, add a little more lemon juice. Let sit for about 5 minutes in the pot to continue separating, then gently pour into the cheesecloth-lined colander. (If the curds are still very small after 5 minutes then reheat the milk mixture over medium heat and simmer to increase the curd separation).
- Rinse briefly with cold water to remove any lemon flavor. Gather up the sides of the cheesecloth, twist into a ball, and squeeze to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open up the cheesecloth, and mix 1/4 teaspoon salt evenly into the cheese curds. Squeeze into a ball again and wring out any remaining moisture. Flatten the cheesecloth ball into a 3/4-inch thick disc and place on a plate. Weigh down with another plate topped with a heavy item such as a large can. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight, then carefully cut the paneer into 3/4-inch cubes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Have a large bowl of ice water nearby. In batches, blanch the spinach for about 1 minute in the boiling water and quickly transfer with a spider or slotted spoon to the ice water. Drain the cooked spinach. Place all of it in a blender and puree until mostly but not completely smooth. Reserve.
- Rinse the blender carafe and puree the tomatoes; reserve. Rinse the carafe again and puree the garlic and ginger with 1/4 cup water; reserve.
- Line a plate with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the paneer cubes and brown well on 2 to 3 sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove to the lined plate and reserve.
- Add another 2 tablespoons ghee to the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir until the seeds start to darken and smell toasted, 10 to 30 seconds. Add the serrano chile, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is dark brown and soft, about 10 minutes. Turn down the heat if the onion starts to burn.
- Add the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cayenne, and half the garam masala. Stir for about 2 minutes, then add the tomato puree, stirring continuously, until the mixture starts to look dry, about 6 minutes. Add the spinach puree, sugar, 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the remaining garam masala. (The mixture will be quite thick.) Simmer for 8 minutes, then stir in the heavy cream and remaining 2 tablespoons ghee. Fold in the browned paneer cubes and simmer to warm the paneer through and to thicken the heavy cream, an additional 4 minutes.
- Serve with steamed basmati rice or Indian flatbread and lemon wedges on the side.
EASY PALAK PANEER
A delicious Indian dish, good on its own or served with rice or naan bread. Substitute tofu for paneer to make it vegan.
Provided by Melanie Lacaille
Categories World Cuisine Recipes Asian Indian
Time 59m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion until slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, red pepper flakes, curry powder, cumin, and salt; cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Mix water, spinach, tomatoes, and ginger into the onion mixture; simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer spinach mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir paneer until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir pureed spinach mixture into skillet with paneer. Cook until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 194.7 calories, Carbohydrate 16.3 g, Cholesterol 11.3 mg, Fat 9.4 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 14.6 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 772.6 mg, Sugar 4.6 g
Tips for Making Palak Paneer:
- Use fresh spinach for the best flavor and texture.
- If you don't have fresh spinach, you can use frozen spinach, but be sure to thaw it and drain it well before using.
- Use a good quality paneer cheese. Soft and fresh paneer makes the dish more delicious.
- Don't overcook the spinach. It should be cooked until it is wilted but still has a bit of a bite to it.
- Don't overcook the paneer. It should be cooked until it is heated through but still soft and creamy.
- Serve palak paneer immediately with rice or naan.
Conclusion:
Palak paneer is a delicious and nutritious dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. With its vibrant green color and creamy texture, palak paneer is sure to be a hit with your family and friends.
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